Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB) secretary Aditya Verma has alleged that BCCI president-in-abeyance N Srinivasan held a "secret meeting" with some IPL/BCCI officials in Ranchi on Tuesday. This, according to Verma (who is also the petitioner in the IPL spot-fixing case), amounts to contempt of court.

In a letter addressed to Sunil Gavaskar, the board's interim president for IPL-related affairs, Verma also pointed out that the cement baron watched his team, Chennai Super Kings, defeat Rajasthan Royals at the JSCA International Stadium on Tuesday evening.

"I want to draw your kind attention to the Supreme Court order (which required Srinivasan to step down till the completion of the probe into the spot-fixing scandal). Being the petitioner, I want your clarification regarding Srinivasan's presence in Ranchi for the Chennai-Rajasthan match (on Tuesday)," Verma wrote.

"He (Srinivasan) also arranged a secret meeting with (some members of) the IPL governing council and the Chennai Super Kings team management in Ranchi with the help of JSCA president (Amitabh Chaudhary), who is also a member of the GC. This is a serious issue and I want to know if you are aware that (such a) meeting (took place)," Verma wrote.

A JSCA official confirmed to dna that Srinivasan was in Ranchi on Tuesday. "He arrived on Tuesday morning and our (association) president was at the airport to receive him," he said. It is understood that Srinivasan, who flew into the city in his private jet, was put up at the swanky Radisson Blu.

When contacted, Verma went a step ahead and alleged that Srinivasan occupied Room #719, a 'Business Class' suite. "It is in this room that he held a meeting with some IPL officials and BCCI representatives from the East Zone. To me, this is a clear violation of the Supreme Court's order. He is clearly involved in the running of the IPL as well as the BCCI," Verma said.

He also offered a logical reason behind the board's decision to strip Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium of its right to host the IPL final. "Sharad Pawar is the MCA president and he was the one who brought to light the conflict of interest between interim BCCI president (non-IPL affairs) Shivlal Yadav and Justice (retd) JN Patel, who was one of three individuals proposed by the BCCI's working committee to the apex court.

Mr Pawar also voiced his displeasure over the BCCI's decision to suspend the Rajasthan Cricket Association following the election of Lalit Modi as its president," Verma said.

Of late, Srinivasan is doing all he can to keep the associations belonging to the East Zone happy. According to the rules, it's their turn to nominate the next president. There's a catch, though. A member belonging to a different zone can throw his hat into the ring for the top post provided two East Zone associations back him. With the likes of Ranjib Biswal (Orissa Cricket Association chief and IPL chairman) and Choudhary (JSCA president and IPL governing council member) duly rewarded with plum posts and out-of-turn matches, Srinivasan will have his way.

Interestingly, the IPL governing council met at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai on Tuesday. Gavaskar & Co. were busy Choudhary couldn't attend that meeting because he was hosting Srinivasan.